When we hear, "'Tis the season," especially this time of year, we mentally complete the song: "to be jolly, fa lalalala, lala la la." How inspirational!

Far more inspirational than fas and las is a Bible passage written centuries ago and found in Ecclesiastes:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace (vv. 18).

In God's providence, everything has its particular time. Holidays fall on certain days according to our calendar, but life events fall at certain times according to God's calendar. These events don't fall randomly - each one has a purpose in our life.

Perhaps not all of the events listed above will happen to each of us. Some people seem more blessed than others, while some carry more burdens than do others. Some of the events are welcome and joyous; others are unwelcome and frightening. We are not privy to God's calendar but His promises are open for all to see.

Whether we are in the midst of a situation that we wish would never end or we are enduring a trial we wish would never have started, we can remember that God has planned the beginning, middle, and end for a purpose. Romans 8:28 promises, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Notice that God works all things together for good. He doesn't differentiate between what we think is good and what we think is bad. All things are used to work out His purpose in us, even when we can't figure out what He's doing or how He does it.

During threatening times in Israel's early history, the prophet Isaiah comforted the people with, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" (26:3). He let the people know that, no matter what season they were in, they could have peace by trusting God and looking at Him instead of the problems. After all, He is looking at you through good times and bad, working everything out for good.

Whether it's the Christmas season, baseball season, sneezin' season, or any event or circumstance in your life, there is one thing you can count on: According to a good and powerful and loving God, "'Tis the season!"